Adrian is an Australian artist based in Melbourne who creates realistic charcoal drawings of wildlife, with a focus on
big cats.
ADRIAN grew up in an artistic family, with his mother being a graphic designer and his sister now a well-established graphic designer overseas. He studied visual arts in high school, and in 2004 his Year 12 HSC final artwork was entered in this category at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery in NSW. After leaving high school, he decided to pursue another career path, and it wasn’t until 2021, that Adrian decided to pick up a pencil again and renew his passion for drawing.
“Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will.”
Theodore Roosevelt
His early work used an indentation technique, embossing individual strands of fur into the paper before building layers of charcoal over the surface. Through a repeated process of applying and removing charcoal, light and texture emerge from the darker layers—creating the depth, contrast and intricate realism of the finished work.
Through ongoing experimentation, his method has evolved into a layered process of drawing, painting and blending. Dense black carbon-based pigment pencils establish the deepest tones, while brushed charcoal builds the direction and texture of the fur. Erasers draw light back into the surface, with each layer adding greater depth, contrast and realism.
Working exclusively in monochrome allows me to strip away distraction and focus on what matters most - capturing the soul of animals. Through depth, texture and contrast, I aim to convey an emotional presence that goes beyond what a photograph can offer.
In my work, I seek to honour the symbolism these animals carry - strength, courage, and authority, while also celebrating their raw physical beauty. I am deeply inspired by Nick Sider’s hyper-realistic paintings, particularly his extraordinary attention to detail, which continually pushes me to refine my own practice.
awards
Adrian was a finalist in “Explorers Against Extinction Sketch for Survival” in 2022 and 2023, where his work was exhibited in the Dundas Street gallery in Edinburgh and gallery@oxo in London. Adrian also received the Silver Award in Camelback Gallery’s 2022 International Juried Visual Arts Competition.
